Gunmen suspected to be Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels have attacked a privately-owned school at Mpondwe in Kasese District in western Uganda, killing at least 25 people and abducting several others, according to the police’s statement this morning.
The police reported, “Last night, a terrorist attack by the ADF rebels occurred at Lhubirira secondary school in Mpondwe, which is approximately 2 kilometers away from the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).”
They further explained, “During the attack, a dormitory was set on fire, and a food store was looted. Currently, we have recovered 25 bodies from the school, which have been transferred to Bwera Hospital. Additionally, eight critically injured victims are receiving treatment at Bwera Hospital.”
A joint operation involving the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the police is currently in progress, as they pursue the assailants towards Virunga National Park.
In 2021, the UPDF entered DR Cong to hunt for the ADF rebels after terror attacks in Kampala City that left at least 10 people dead and dozens injured.
According to the Defence Ministry, since Operation Shujaa commenced, more than 400 rebels have been killed and several areas liberated from the control of the group.